The current residency regulation and the 2025 changes

The regulation in force is the Guatemalan Residency Regulation, Agreement IGM-016-2025 (approved by AMN 05-2025), published in the Diario de Centro América on 8-Jul-2025 and in force from 7-Oct-2025 (Latin Alliance) or 8-Oct-2025 (Consortium Legal) — a one-day discrepancy to be settled against the Official Gazette; it is accompanied by the Visa Regulation IGM-015-2025 and the Ordinary Migration Status Registry IGM-017-2025. Its article 59 repeals Agreement IGM-092-2022 (AMN 008-2022), which had replaced AMN 4-2019. Changes in 2025: criminal and police record certificates covering 2 years (previously 5); the passport validity certification is dropped where there is diplomatic representation; the guarantor is evidenced by a certificate (SAT filings plus authorization from the supreme corporate body); the return ticket is dropped; field checks become mandatory; dependants go in the same file; single-entry visas of 6–12 months and multiple-entry of 1–5 years. Subsequent obligations: article 35 gives thirty days from notification to complete the requirements on pain of a fine and refusal; annual updating of data; an annual foreigner's fee of US$40; more than 5 years as a temporary resident obliges a move to permanent residency (article 78 of the Code).

The research is written in English; quoted figures, source names and the titles of legal instruments stay in the language their source published them in.